Jack Kelso
| image = File:Jackkelso.png | imagewidth = 250px | gender = Male | location = Los Angeles | status = Alive | affiliation = District Attorney's Office California Fire and Life (Formerly) United States Marine Corps (Formerly) Cole Phelps Elsa Lichtmann Leonard Petersen | birth = 1913/1917 | weapon = Browning Hi-Power | actor = Gil McKinney }} Jack Kelso is the secondary protagonist in L.A. Noire. He's a former United States Marine who has some history with Cole Phelps at the Battle of Okinawa. After the war and his discharge from the Corps, he became a claims investigator for California Fire and Life. Later in the game, during the time Phelps is on the Arson desk, the player takes control of Kelso to reluctantly help Phelps in the investigation of the Suburban Redevelopment Fund. Late in the game, he was fired from his job, and currently works for the DA's (District Attorney's) office as the DA's Investigator for Leonard Petersen. Biography Kelso went to Officer Candidate School (OCS) for the United States Marine Corps at the beginning of the U.S.'s involvement in World War II. During OCS, Jack meets Cole Phelps, his new superior officer, who develops a rivalry with him. While in the OCS, Kelso is often singled out by the commanding officer, despite his continued demonstrations of merit. On one occasion, Kelso is ordered to reclean a gun that he had already cleaned perfectly. Kelso, disgusted with OCS, dropped out and became a USMC rifleman. Once at the Pacific Front, he fought alongside Phelps in Okinawa Campaign, also known as the Battle of Okinawa. He eventually rose through the ranks and became a sergeant within the Marine Corps. While fighting, he, like Phelps remained in control of his men and behaved responsibly on the battlefield. On the ship back from the war, the S.S. Coolridge, Courtney Sheldon, a fellow soldier who fought alongside Jack and Cole, encourages many of the returning Marines to steal the crates of Army surplus morphine aboard ship. Kelso is the one dissenting Marine. He tells the others that he sees them as heroes, even though no one else does, and they will be "nothing to him" if they steal the morphine. However, despite not participating in the theft, Kelso protects his fellow Marines by not exposing them when questioned by Phelps in the "Manifest Destiny" case. After his discharge from the Marine Corps, Kelso became a claims investigator for California Fire and Life Insurance Company in Los Angeles. Due to his investigation on the $20,000 insurance settlement that had been offered to Elsa Lichtmann he was fired by his boss, Curtis Benson. In the end Kelso became an investigator for the D.A.'s office. Kelso played an important role on the investigation of the Suburban Redevelopment Fund and taking down the property tycoon, Leland Monroe. Through his investigation, he and Phelps, in their own way, make amends for the rivalry that was sparked during the war. Kelso is one of the few in attendance at Phelps' funeral at the end of the story. After calling himself his friend, Phelps partner at the time of his death, Herschel Biggs remarks that Jack was never Cole's friend. Jack agrees, but claims that the two were never enemies. Herschel agrees by saying, "I think he knew that Jack." Murders Committed *Ira Hogeboom - Killed to end his suffering and to rescue Elsa Lichtmann Case Appearances Homicide *"The White Shoe Slaying" (Newspaper) Vice *"The Black Caesar" (Newspaper) *"Manifest Destiny" Arson *"House of Sticks" *"A Polite Invitation" *"A Different Kind of War" Trivia *His name and character could be derived from Jack W. Kelso, a United States Marine as well, who received the Medal of Honor. *Jack carries a different pistol from Cole - a Browning Hi-Power. *Jack is the one who tells Phelps' unit to "never speak of this again" after Courtney Sheldon shoots Cole during the Battle of Okinawa. *Jack was probably a Master Sergeant in the USMC during the war. During the "A Different Kind of War" cutscene Jack is called "Sarge" and "Top". In the Marine Corps, master sergeants may be referred to by the nickname of "Top". *Even while still working at California Fire and Life, he still mentions he's with the DA office when recommandering civilian vehicles. *Jack calls nearly every female he meets, "princess", such as in the Arson case, and A Polite Invitation and A Different Kind of War, where he addresses Elsa Lichtmann, Leland Monroe's Secretary, and the 12-year-old girl with Curtis Benson as "princess". *Most of his taunts in combat are the same as Cole's, except in his own voice. Gallery Kelsoage.png|Jack in Phelps' notebook. 248918 103184309774879 100002499305594 22333 7787370 n.jpg|Jack with his DA's investigator badge. 250835 101918379901472 100002499305594 11133 2520005 n.jpg|Jack with Phelps and Roy Earle. Category:Characters